Anti All Wars

 

The war in Ukraine arouses, as war often does, many deep emotions. It is an old, familiar theme for the propagandists — poor Belgium in 1914, poor  Poland in 1939 and now it is poor  Ukraine. But there is emotion on the other side as well. The war did not start out of nothing. Russia feared Western aggression. Always behind the scenes, the big power blocs are operating, supporting one side or the other with arms and military advice, with aid and loans, as part of a larger and more menacing clash of interests. Russia is clearly determined to exploit this situation, both for what it can get out of it and to cause the greatest possible embarrassment to the Western powers. Experience, and knowledge of capitalism, should have taught  working people.  The wars of capitalism are fought to settle the disputes of its ruling classes; no working-class interests are at stake in them. The problems of the Ukrainian workers are the same as those of workers all over the world, and they will not be solved in a war. Their interests are the same as those of the workers of Russia and of every other capitalist country—to unite for the overthrow of capitalism and the triumph of socialism. 

 

The cause of war today is the capitalist organisation of society, a society based on the private ownership of the means of life and on the production of goods and services to make a profit. Capitalism creates ruling groups who constantly struggle with each other for control of the wealth of the world. Governments represent the interest of these ruling groups. Their conflicts are economic ones: the competition for markets, the race for sources of raw material, and the mastery of strategic positions. Russia is no less involved in this sordid business than the U.S.A.

While it is important that workers oppose war, it is just as important that we recognise just why armed conflicts between states break out and in whose interests wars are waged. If you think about it you'll be hard-pressed to think of a single war that did not have its roots in the desire of small elites to make profits. All wars, even small-scale conflicts – and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is no exception – tend to be fought over mineral wealth, foreign markets and areas of influence, trade routes or the strategic points from which the same can be defended.

For the Socialist Party, the war in Ukraine has no rights or wrongs except the over-riding fact that capitalist wars are not waged for the benefit of the working class or impoverished peasants. In the opening phases, the Russian armies were everywhere victorious but now Ukrainianians counter-attacked and the outcome no matter which armies had won on the battlefield will solve no working-class problem and will bring socialism no nearer. As in previous wars, the Socialist Party takes the opportunity to proclaim its abhorrence of the sordid, callous and mercenary nature of the international capitalist class and its commitment to socialism.

Having no quarrel with the working class of any country, we extend to our fellow workers of all lands the expression of our goodwill and socialist fraternity and pledge ourselves to work for the overthrow of capitalism and the triumph of socialism.

War can solve no working-class problem. It cuts across the fundamental identity of interest of the workers of the world, setting sections of this class at enmity with each other in the interests of sections of the capitalist class. 

War elevates force into the position of arbiter in place of the common human desire for mutual peace and happiness. Its effect is wholly evil. It depraves all the participants by forcing them to concentrate on the best methods of producing misery and of annihilating each other. 

War elevates lying, cheating, disabling and murdering opponents into virtues, and confers distinctions upon those who practise these means most successfully.

Men and women have the vile methods of warfare impressed upon them so thoroughly that they lose a balanced outlook on life and are impregnated with the idea that force, with all its baseness, and not reason, is the final solution in all problems. 

Socialism is completely opposed to war and to what war represents. At the same time, it is the only solution to the conditions that breed war. It is a new form of society in which the people of the world will work harmoniously together for their mutual benefit, for there will be neither privilege nor property to cause enmity. 

No coercion will be needed in socialism because each will gain from co-operating harmoniously with his fellows. But it is a new social system that demands understanding of its implications from those who seek to establish it. 

With the establishment of socialism, war will disappear and humanity will emerge.

The only way forward is a revolutionary change to a completely different society:

· Worldwide common ownership of resources— not minority class ownership.

· Production to meet human needs — not for private profit.

· Free access to goods and services — not the rationing of a monetary system.

· A free, democratically-run, non-authoritarian system giving equal opportunity for all.

 

This can only be achieved by the conscious action of the majority of the working class. We urge you to join us in the fight to establish world socialism. To end war – and the need to demonstrate against each war as one war succeeds another (were you on the demos against the war in Iraq, Afghanistan and before that against the war in Kosovo?) – capitalism has to be ended and replaced by a global system where the resources of the Earth have become the common heritage of all Earthpeople. That way, competition and conflict between elites over resources can give way to co-operation between peoples in different parts of the globe to use the world's resources for the benefit of all its inhabitants.

If you lend your support to a political party or organisation that fails to question the real nature of capitalist society, how our world is organised for production and how power is distributed, then you are in effect supporting a system that bred this war – and will breed future wars. We urge you to think seriously and reconsider your position. Capitalism and war and uncertainty that comes with it, or world socialism and global peace and security? Protest endlessly against each new war as it arises or campaign for a new world of common ownership, democratic control, peace and human welfare.